After another afternoon in Kefalonia, lolloping by the
swimming pool under the scorching Greek sun, Mrs Jones and I followed our usual
holiday routine. We returned to our apartment, showered, admired our tanned
skins in the mirror, plastered our flesh with generous splodges of hydrating
lotion, and dressed in smart night-time attire in readiness for the evening
meal in a local restaurant.
Our holiday accommodation overlooked the sea, and on
previous nights we’d dined in nearby tavernas, reachable via a five-minute
stroll along the beach front. On this particular evening, however, we’d decided
to try The Olive Lounge restaurant as
recommended by Trip Advisor. Located a mile away, access to this eatery could
only be achieved by traversing a harsh and winding incline, known to the locals
as ‘cardiac hill’. Even at 7.00 pm, the temperature was still pushing 30
degrees so walking was not an option.
At our secluded resort, taxis were as rare as a drug-free
Russian athlete and, as with most things Greek, the local bus service was unreliable,
seeming to follow a covert timetable capriciously determined by the whim of the
driver. So as we left our apartment on this particular evening and spotted the
green minibus pull up at the foot of cardiac hill, it seemed like an
opportunity not to be missed. Transiently forgetting the heat and humidity, my
short, 57-year-old legs sprang into piston-like motion propelling me – hands waving
– towards the bus, Mrs Jones in my slipstream.
By the time I was climbing the steps to pay the fare, I
could detect rivulets of sweat darting down my spine and trickling into the
dark recess between the cheeks of my arse. The fare was 1 euro and 20 cents
each, but I only had a 20-euro note; the driver sighed and seemed to spend an
age fiddling with his coins to give me change. The interior of the non-air-conditioned
bus was suffocating and when I glanced towards my fellow passengers their glares
and communal panting indicated that my late arrival had not been appreciated.
The bus was almost full, occupied mostly by tourists in
swimwear who had spent the day frying on the beach. The only vacant seats were
on the back row. As we staggered along the aisle - the walk of shame – a pungent
mix of burning flesh, Ambre Solaire and mosquito repellent assaulted my senses,
causing me to gag. My eyes streamed as if irritated by the chlorine gas used in
the trenches of the 1st World War.
I managed to sit before I stumbled only to discover that the
German gentleman next to me reeked of stale tobacco. Furthermore, Wilhelm
Woodbine was in the process of rolling himself another cigarette, the contents
of which smelt like camel shit. A lady directly in front of me was holding two
stainless-steel hiking sticks – what the fuck! - one of which intermittently
jabbed into my thigh. A bikini-clad woman, three rows in front, held a 2-metre-long
inflatable dinghy on her shoulder; each time the bus turned a corner, the
plastic monstrosity pressed against my face, further accelerating my rate of perspiration.
Half way up cardiac hill we could stand it no longer. The
potent combination of sweat, smog and suffocation propelled me to stand and stumble
towards the exit, begging the driver to let me out. He obliged and opened the
doors, his face conveying a ‘what’s your problem?’ expression. A German lady at
the front, who appeared calm and unflustered, and typically much more dignified
than her British counterparts, announced, ‘I sink I will get off here too’.
Once off the bus into the relative cool of the Greek
sunshine, Mrs Jones and I crouched, gasping, heads between our knees. Composure
regained, we abandoned our pilgrimage to the Olive Lounge and rolled into a nearby bar. Two hours later, feeling
refreshed after imbibing copious quantities of cold Mythos - the local larger -
and with the sun now set, we free-wheeled down cardiac hill to dine in our
usual taverna.
This reminds me of a Greek bus ride in 1976 from Patras to Athens. The woman seated beside me had a live chicken on her lap. It was a very long ride.
ReplyDeleteA live chicken on lap! That sounds just the kind of thing you can expect in Greece.
DeleteDear, Mr. Jones.
ReplyDeleteI just love how you can take any situation and make it interesting, funny, and beautifully significate!
I appreciate that. x
Thank you, Kim - your feedback is appreciated.
DeleteAs much as I love all four seasons (and thankfully have them, too, living in Montreal), I have to say that I find our summers here very difficult. This weekend's weather is to be in the 30's and even 40 celsius, and humid, which is weather I have trouble dealing with. Your descriptions are very good, and I find that smells are even harder to take when it is hot and humid, as there really isn't any fresh air to dissipate them (garbage, smoke, whatever). I love the sea and have never traveled any further than New England in the U.S., so I really appreciate your post. Greece is a place I would enjoy visiting should I ever get the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you taking the time to read and comment.
DeleteI love Greece, despite it's heat, eccentricity and the state of its bus service - I'd highly recommend it to you so long as you can get into the same laid back/what-will-be-will-be mind set.
Oh my gosh, I was grinning all the way through this. I would have had a HUGE problem with that hiking stick stabbing me. Like you, the odoriferous bus would have had me off of it quickly, too. Poor you and the Mrs!
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a memorable - if rather unpleasant - experience. But so Greek!
DeleteI love your description of the bus ride----I can easily visualize it. I shouldn't laugh at your expense but that story is so damn funny.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased it amused you, so laugh away. Best wishes.
DeleteLol...the bus ride from Hell! I always worry when sweat runs down my back & 'tween the cheeks if I'm going to have a giant wet spot on the back of my pants.
ReplyDeleteYes, the wet arse crack is not a great look!
DeleteWhen I first saw the title, "A Bus Ride, Greek Style," I immediately thought that must have been one uncomfortable ride. Especially if you sat down.
ReplyDeleteMy mind usually dwells in the gutter that way.
Yes, I've detected that tendency, Al - it's one of the many aspects that keep you interesting.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes have a feeling you live in a sitcom. Or maybe we all do, and you're just better than most at capturing the hilarity on virtual paper.
ReplyDeleteI take it you never tried going back to The Olive Lounge again? It feels like a cliffhanger building up to yet another chapter.
We did go back to the Olive Lounge, and did brave the bus again. Thankfully, on the second occasion, the bus was not quite as hot and the journey was less eventful.
DeleteNow here comes the million pound question.. was it worth it?
DeleteNot really. The Olive Lounge was a positive experience, and the food was good, but no better than the (much cheaper) tavernas on the seafront.
Delete